Judging quality
Look for distinct rounded orbs and vug fills. It is a rock, so hardness varies across a single slab.
Igneous
Rainforest Rhyolite
Green and cream orbicular rhyolite, sometimes called rainforest jasper, patterned by epidote and quartz-filled gas pockets in an old lava flow.
Care
Water and cloth; some vugs are chalky and should not be soaked.
History & lore
The Australian material comes from Marlborough-area flows and has been cut commercially since the 1970s.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Rainforest Rhyolite
- What is Rainforest Rhyolite?
- Green and cream orbicular rhyolite, sometimes called rainforest jasper, patterned by epidote and quartz-filled gas pockets in an old lava flow.
- How hard is Rainforest Rhyolite and what is it made of?
- Rainforest Rhyolite is a Igneous-family mineral with the composition Volcanic rhyolite with epidote. It crystallizes in the — system and rates 6-7 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in green, olive green, cream, brown.
- Where does Rainforest Rhyolite come from?
- Notable localities for Rainforest Rhyolite include Western Australia, Mexico.
- How do you tell good Rainforest Rhyolite from filler?
- Look for distinct rounded orbs and vug fills. It is a rock, so hardness varies across a single slab.
- How do you care for Rainforest Rhyolite?
- Water and cloth; some vugs are chalky and should not be soaked.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.